Living For Today
by LilyGhost
Summary: What was supposed to be just an innocent question, quickly snowballs into a night Stephanie didn't expect but will never forget.


**All familiar characters belong to Janet. The mistakes are solely mine.**

Lying with my back against Ranger's front on the crappy couch in my apartment, my curiosity got the better of me. His fingers have been teasing the bottom of my tank top and the top of my little boxers - teasing _me_ in the process - but his hands haven't done anything beyond that, leading me to believe we have the whole night ahead of us.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked him.

"I would say ' _Shoot_ ' but I know better."

My smile was instantaneous. "Smart man. My aim _has_ gotten quicker and _a lot_ better since I've been talked into visiting the gun range every time I visit _you_."

"I told you, weapons of any kind hold a certain appeal."

"I can honestly say ... _your_ appeal has nothing to do with how deadly you are."

"Really?"

"Okay, no ... the whole ' _I can kill whoever upsets you nine million ways without having to think about it'_ is definitely a turn-on when you've spent years being insulted, harassed, stalked, or attacked. But what's sexy about you - besides your obvious mouth-watering looks - is what a stand-up guy you are. You genuinely care about people, me especially."

" _You_ most of all," he corrected.

I lifted his arms and wrapped them both around me, curling my fingers around his so I can feel him everywhere.

" _See?_ That's what I mean. You wouldn't be hanging out here on a Tuesday almost-evening if you didn't really want to spend time with me."

"Which is probably a bad thing, since I now find my temper being tested whenever I have to work late."

"You haven't heard the names I've called Vinnie when he's told me to go pick someone up when I was already planning on heading to - and staying at - Rangeman that night."

"I _have_ warned him not to interfere with our plans."

I ran through my last month. "So _you're_ the reason I've had more weekends off and a higher percentage of the capture money."

"No. That's all _you_ , Steph. I only 'advised' Vinnie to appreciate what he has before she's gone."

"Meaning you'll convince me to flip him off permanently and stick with working solely for Rangeman if he doesn't behave?"

"Yes," he said, kissing my head while tightening his arms. "What were you going to ask me?"

"What would you do if you knew I wouldn't be here tomorrow?"

"As in you'll be busy tomorrow and I won't get to see you again until Thursday?" He asked me.

"No. I mean ... if I was told I'm absolutely going to die tomorrow, what would we do today?"

His immediate stillness scared me.

"I'm not sick or dying or anything," I was quick in assuring him. "I'm going to be irritating and loving you for _decades_ to come if I have any say in the matter, but if we took the 'Live Like Today's The Last Day' philosophy seriously ... how would _we_ do that?"

"You really want to know?"

I twisted my head around so I could see his face. "I think so."

"Alright then," he told me, sliding out from behind me before picking me up.

"Where are we going?"

"First stop is the bedroom. There is _no way_ I would give up one last time to love you."

Something in his voice made me sit up straight as soon as my butt hit the mattress. "Ranger, I was only curious. I didn't mean for this to turn so serious and upset you. I'm sorry. Just forget I said anything."

He put both hands on the bed on each side of my hips and added a knee to the weight currently on the bed, forcing me backwards as he moved over me.

"Do you really want me to stop?" He asked, when my head reached the pillows.

Having his body this close to mine was never something I could turn away, nor would I put the brakes on this now when I can actually say with complete confidence - and plenty of possessiveness - that he's _all mine_.

"Stopping wouldn't be what I'd choose," I told him, proving that by bending my knees and curling my legs around his.

"And your choice would be what ...?" He asked against my collar bone.

Being a man of action ... he was already moving his mouth higher and his hands lower.

"You naked and inside me," I answered, no longer worried about him knowing just how quickly he affects me.

He rewarded that answer with an extremely thorough kiss. When kiss number _two_ ended, he spoke.

"Are we taking this slow?"

Knowing how long he can last, and how often he can outlast me, I seriously debated the question.

"How about fast, slow, and then _reeeeally_ slow?" I suggested.

His lips had made it up to my throat as his hand finally slid all the way under my little tank top to fully appreciated all that's underneath it. Ranger's fingers moved against me as much as his lips and tongue did while he considered his response.

"And if I said I would have more for us to do than each other if this were in fact your last day?" He asked me by way of an answer.

It took me more than a minute to connect all of his words and make them into a comprehensible sentence in my mind. While he'd been asking his counter-question, he had unhooked my legs from him, lifted his body a few inches off me to curl his fingers into the waistband of my little boxers and slide them down my legs.

" _You_ first," I told him. "Impromptu surprises later. Much ... _much_ later."

My tank top joined my pj bottoms on the floor. And in that moment, I honestly couldn't have cared less if this _were_ my last night alive. Being held, kissed, caressed, and loved, by Ranger is worth living and also dying for.

I wasted no time getting him out of his clothes, and he took me at my word. He kissed me until I couldn't think straight before moving down my body. My nipples perked right up in his mouth, and my legs immediately parted for his hands first and his mouth second. ' _Fast_ ' for Ranger means at least two orgasms for me before he finishes us both off. When he eased himself down onto me a good chunk of time later, I was reminded that he would never short-change me no matter how sleepy and sated I look and feel.

I had said fast and then _slow_ and _really slow_ , and that's exactly what I'm going to get ... if not far more than that. He peeled me off the sheets and put me down in the shower. I would've protested the move, believing my legs were too noodly to hold me upright, but he did all the work while I just leaned against his wet muscles as he washed my body as carefully as he would dismantle a ticking bomb. To my credit, I did attempt to repay a couple of favors inside my crappy shower, but when Batman sets his sights on a specific goal, he doesn't let go of it until it's been completed.

I could tell him until I have no voice left that I feel pretty damn complete, but that wouldn't be enough for him. He always gives more than he promises. After a quick towel-off, it was back to bed for us. And Ranger started working me into a lust-filled frenzy all over again. Except this time, he really _took his time_... seeming to savor every inch of my skin until I was pliable, compliant, and impatient, all at once. There wasn't a shower-repeat so I'm thinking he enjoys there being only the scent of himself on me.

Apparently, I opened a can of worms and set a chain of events into motion that only Ranger has cliff notes on ... making the Man of Mystery even more mysterious. My body went from relaxed and sleepy, to wide awake and alert when he sat up and reached for his clothes.

"What would you say is your favorite thing to wear?" He asked me, once he was back in his uniform and had moved onto tying the laces on his boots.

I had a more important question. "Why are you dressed? Are you leaving?"

This isn't how I was picturing the night ending. I was looking forward to sleeping with _him_ curled around _me_ or _me_ draped all over _him._ I'm not picky when it comes to a naked Ranger in a bed with me.

"You wanted to know what I'd do if I only have tonight with you, so I'm showing you," he told me.

"Didn't you already do that?"

My body certainly thinks he did.

"No. There's more," he said, moving to my dresser. "What is your favorite thing to put on after a long day?"

I used to be embarrassed to admit this, but not anymore. "One of your T-shirts, but I'm guessing that won't work unless we're staying in."

"We're heading out. What's your second choice?"

My second choice would be what he just took off me that's still lying on my bedroom floor, but again ... my mismatched pjs won't work outside of my apartment.

"The jeans that I threw over there on the chair and my Rangeman sweatshirt ... unless I should pick something dressier?" I asked, scooting to the edge of the bed with the sheet tucked around me, since it seems we definitely aren't staying under my covers.

He ignored my dressier-clothes-question and grabbed my jeans from the chair and his company sweatshirt from my closet. I did notice he picked a sexier set of underwear out of my drawer for me to put on under my comfy clothes.

I got dressed while darting glances at him, which was pointless because Ranger doesn't let anything show on his face unless he's feeling generous. He got my bag for me and slipped an arm around my back as we took the elevator down to the lobby. I thought it was interesting that he went to my personal 'fleet vehicle' - a red Lexus NX Hybrid - instead of his Porsche.

I found out why when he drove us to my parents' house. It wasn't too late, only an hour or so after dinner, but I knew my mother wouldn't be pleased to have her evening crashed by Batman and I.

"I'll be right back," Ranger told me.

" _Huh?_ "

What he'd want here does pose a few questions, but him seeing my parents without me acting as a buffer between him and them is downright weird.

He left the car running and came back five minutes later with a giggling Grandma Mazur staring adoringly up at him. He opened the back door for her and waited until she had arranged herself, her coat, and her purse, before closing the door.

"What did Ranger tell you?" I asked her, before he could catch me trying to pump her for information.

"That you needed me for somethin'. You gonna tell me what it is?"

"I wish I could, but I honestly don't know. Ranger won't tell me where we're going or what we're doing."

" _Hot damn!_ That's even better! Wait until the girls at Bingo hear that _I_ was part of Hot Stuff's surprise."

I wanted to roll my eyes, but Ranger was back inside the car with his cell pressed to his ear and I needed all my senses and faculties in place so I can try to put the pieces together.

"Yes ... I'm good. _Really_ ," he said to the person on the line. "I need you two to meet us at Naldo's place. Everything's fine _. I promise_. I'll see you there."

"We're going to your Uncle's house?" I asked when his call ended.

Ranger has always been very protective of his family. We had to be officially _together_ /together before I got to meet them.

"Yes."

That was all I got because he was on his cell again. "How are you? I'm doing good. Remember what we discussed? It's go time," he informed the person.

"This is so exciting," Grandma said, straining her seat belt in order to whisper/shout those words to me.

Exciting or scary, I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

"Do you trust me?" Ranger asked me, after he disconnected for the second time.

"Yes ... _blindly_ it seems."

He put the car in reverse but leaned over to kiss me before backing out.

I don't know how they managed it, us coming from Trenton and his parents leaving Newark, but we all arrived at Naldo Manoso's home at about the same time. Uncle Naldo's house I still think looks like an intriguing combo of a farmhouse and something someone would use in one of those fairy gardens my niece, Lisa, is currently obsessed with. It's painted a bright white with dark trim, and it has an unexpected A-frame over the front door and a cute archway over a side door that looks out over a small flower garden complete with a heated bird bath.

I was here for a Fourth of July party two months ago, but that was an actual holiday and a planned family get-together, so a visit was expected. As far as I know ... this one wasn't.

"What do you have planned now, my dear sweet Carlos?" Mrs. Manoso asked her son. "Whatever it is, I am very happy to see you again, Stephanie. We don't get to visit with you enough."

I thanked her for including me in their family and introduced Grandma Mazur. Then we all went inside to see why we're here.

"You can't swing a stick around this family without hittin' someone good-lookin'," Grandma said, jamming a bony elbow into my side as she got her first good look at Ranger's Father and Uncle.

Naldo is only _sixteen_ -years-older than Ranger and I, to Mr. Manoso's _twenty-one_ years seniority, but neither man looks his age. The Manoso genes are strong … and extremely attractive. No surprise, Mama Manoso is also unfairly beautiful. The family, including Julie, all resemble one another, but the men are especially potent to unsuspecting females. What I felt when I first met Ranger is now how Grandma is feeling seeing where he came from.

"Behave, Grandma," I ordered her. "Uncle Naldo _presides_ over cases, he's not about to become a victim in a harassment one just because he happened to meet you."

That's when it hit me.

My eyes flew to Ranger. He nodded and held out a hand to me. I took it mainly because I felt a little lightheaded hearing him ask if I'll marry him.

"Right here, right now," he added.

I blocked out his mom's happy tears and Grandma Mazur's ' _Damn Skippy!_ ' shout, and I didn't let my eyes leave the safety of Ranger's still-calm face.

"Okay," I think I said to him.

I'm not kidding ... I actually reached up with my free hand to make sure my mouth moved enough to get at least that word out. That's all Ranger and his Uncle needed. And I'll freely admit, their patience and _zen-ergy_ got me through the vows and ring exchange.

Even though there wasn't a typical engagement period, Ranger still chose what looks like a four-ring diamond set for me, but I quickly realized it's really only _one_ ring with four white-gold diamond-lined bands interwoven within - and attached to - each other. A large Marquise diamond, that will no doubt be measured and discussed by everyone I run into, is prominently perched in the middle of what would be the top two bands.

No doubt Ranger wanted it clear that not only did I agree to marry him, I've already made it through the actual marriage ceremony with both engagement and wedding rings present and accounted for on my finger. The arrangement of the rings and the shape of the diamond sorta looked a bit crown-like to me. I don't know if that's a coincidence or Ranger's way of subtly warning people that I'd better be treated like ' _Rangeman Royalty_ ' without him having to issue a threat of what he'd do if I weren't.

Of course he picked a plain 4 mm titanium band for himself. Having me married to him was his goal, not what he wore to show for it. I'm not sure I agree with the double-standard, but I didn't want to ruin the moment by arguing that I would've been happy with just a cheap ring snagged from a sales rack at Target. _He's_ my goal, too.

"Did we really just do this?" I asked Ranger, still feeling dazed even after the round of congratulations and the poured glasses of champagne we all clinked together in celebration.

"Yes," he immediately answered. "If something were to ever happen to you, you'll be going out as _my wife,_ with _my name_ on your lips, and me right behind you."


End file.
